Vegan grocery guide

There are hundreds of vegan foods easily available in supermarkets, greengrocers, bakeries and other shops around Australia. Written by Lancey Morris from SweetLancey.com, this guide concentrates on what groceries to buy to prepare your own delicious, healthy, plant-based meals.

This list is by no means exhaustive, but should give you a good starting point to buying the right ingredients for a healthy, vegan lifestyle. Vegan cooking should include a lot of vegetables, nuts, beans and healthy fats, and should not consist of eating the same meals you ate as a non-vegan, minus the meat. There are many fantastic plant-based substitutes that most meat eaters aren't aware of, so do your research, find some good recipes and get cooking!

Fresh Vegetables

Fresh vegetables should make up the majority of your vegan diet, and can be eaten raw, boiled, stir-fried, blanched, deep fried or baked. Don't be afraid to experiment with spices, or combine with legumes and grains for a more wholesome meal. There is a wide selection of vegetables available in most parts of Australia. Select those you most like to eat.

Fresh Fruit

Like the vegetables, you can choose to buy whichever fruit you most enjoy, just make sure you buy a wide variety and check for what's in season. You can buy fruits to be eaten on their own or used in other recipes like banana bread.

Meat and Dairy Substitutes

Meat and dairy substitutes are a combination of meat alternatives, soy based products like tofu, or entirely plant based alternatives like coconut yogurt. These can be used exactly as you would their non-vegan equivalents. Be cautious of highly processed alternatives like TVP and try to enjoy them every so often.

Frozen Foods

Buying frozen foods is an easy way to save money, enjoy out of season snacks, and have quick meals at the ready. Frozen berries are a great addition to smoothies, or you can pick up a frozen vegan pizza for a weekend treat.

Bread

There are types of bread that are usually vegan, but when buying bread you should always check the label to be sure. Sandwiches are a great lunch option for vegans, and can be filled with things like hummus, olives, salad ingredients and vegan meat substitutes. There are several brands of supermarket bread that are accidentally vegan like some of the Helgas range, some of the Mighty Soft range, the Original Mission Wraps, Mountain Bread wraps in rice, rye and corn, among others.

Baking

Vegan baking is fun, easy, and the results taste great. You will be able to use some of the things you already have in your pantry, like flour and sugar, but there are some extra things you'll need to buy. Make sure you check out our Egg Substitute Guide.

Other

There are some other ingredients that are highly recommended for the vegan chef. Rather than just cutting out meat and dairy, vegans should be sure to add new ingredients too. Try using nutritional yeast to make a vegan cheese sauce.